Press release
from Urban Dharma NC

Dr. Hun Y. Lye, Founder and President of Urban Dharma NC, has had the title and position of “Dorjé Lopön” (Vajra Master) bestowed upon him by His Holiness Drikung Kyabgön Chetsang Rinpoché, the leader of the Drikung Kagyü lineage of Tibetan Buddhism at Drikung Kagyü Institute in Dehradun, India, on March 10, 2013.

This is the first instance the title of Dorjé Lopön has been given to a non-monastic teacher in the Drikung Kagyü in the West. While Dorjé Lopön is a title traditionally used by high-level monks who preside over vajrayāna ceremonies, His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgön has bestowed this title on Dr. Lye in recognition of his extensive studies and years of practice of Buddhism and in particular, Drikung Kagyü. Furthermore, this title formalizes his responsibility for passing on Drikung Kagyü teachings and transmissions that he has properly received and practiced.

On March 17, His Holiness the Drikung Kyabgön’s designated regent –His Eminence Thritsab Gyabra Rinpoché – enthroned Dr. Lye at a Drikung Kagyü center in Penang, Malaysia (Dr. Lye’s birthplace). This event was witnessed by a gathering of dozens of monastics of the Thai Theravada, Chinese Mahāyāna and Tibetan Vajrayāna traditions and hundreds of lay followers.

Dr. Lye’s Buddhist education took place both in Asia and the West, academic as well as religious. Having grown up in Malaysia and studied under Buddhist teachers of various traditions in and from Asia, Dr. Hun Lye also has a doctoral degree in Religious Studies from the University of Virginia. As such, Dr. Lye’s teaching style incorporates the best of both worlds – often offering a combination of a fresh, engaging and critical look at the material with an honest, heartfelt and personal approach.

Dr. Lye leads Urban Dharma NC, an innovative, growing Buddhist community in Asheville, NC. Urban Dharma is the first public Buddhist temple in western NC. All its programs are offered on a donation basis and it also runs an online Tibetan Buddhist supplies store (www.tibetanspirit.com). Urban Dharma offers weekly activities (secularly-oriented “Introduction to Meditation” class, classic vajrayāna deity-yoga practices and weekend service) and regular teachings and workshops by visiting teachers.

I don’t claim authorship, as identified by the notification that this is a press release. My “byline” is created on the backend of our website when staff make an entry; it lets readers know who posted this press release.

Mountain Xpress staff curate news from various sources and try to relay those to readers. We also try, whenever possible, to link readers back to the original source.

MW–“My “byline” is created on the backend of our website when staff make an entry”

Many periodicals forego the “by” line, when publishing something they did not write: the familiar attributions “from sources” or “from a press release by xyz” ring a bell.

Perhaps you should suggest that, if a _MountainXpress_ employee’s name must automatically come out of the “backend” (“back end” is perhaps better English?) it should be in some format such as
_Press Release, Posted by [soandso]_.

MW–“I don’t claim authorship, as identified by the notification that this is a press release.”

I understand your reasoning. I wonder if it doesn’t have some logical implication regarding
the _Warren Wilson Echo_’s *failure* to identify their IDENTICAL piece as a press release.

That is, you argue that the byline (do you have another term for a line that states “by [name]” at the head of a piece in a periodical? I can’t think of one) is not a claim of authorship BECAUSE there is a notification below it that “this is a press release.”

There is no such notice in the identical piece in the _Warren Wilson Echo_.

Rickardus, what has brought this to your attention recently, and why this particular story?

Our blogwire (news curation) column has followed this format for some time. We are one of the few local media outlets that identify the source of press releases and news sources (Carolina Public Press identifies the source). Unfortunately, many media do not, and some dress it up with the “byline” that says, “staff reports.”

I can’t speak for what The Echo or other publications do, or don’t do, in this regard. Perhaps you should ask them.

In any case, the previous incarnation of our website included the originator’s logo in the post as a clearer way to identify said source and acknowledge the source. We hope to get that design element back, sooner rather than later.

And meanwhile, another option is for such posts to say that the anonymous “webmaster” posted the release (or news excerpt or other material in blogwire). That approach has no face or real person behind it